The Top 5 Gifts to Buy for Secret Santa this year

Secret Santa is one of those weird office rituals that there’s no getting around. If you opt out, you look like you’re not a team player; if you opt in, you’re forced with the awkward situation getting the perfect present for a random colleague. If you know the recipient well then great, you have some information that you can work with. If you don’t know the recipient particularly well then you have your work cut out for you. In order to keep things tasteful and appropriate, you probably don’t want to go for an obnoxious jokey gift, something particularly crass or anything more than a tenner. If you’re looking for the perfect, Secret Santa gifts this year which won’t make your life in the office awkward come January, here’s some ideas to get the ball rolling and if you are still struggling after this list then this nifty gift generator could do the job.

Animal themed paraphernalia
With a little sleuthing around the office you can quickly discover whether your recipient is a dog person, a cat person or anything in-between. There are plenty of cool little animal-themed gifts for under a tenner including animal photo albums, animal chocolate sets or even animal-themed jewellery stands. Have a quick peruse of the internet and see what you can find on sites like Firebox and ThePresentFinder.

Coffee!
It’s hard to go wrong with coffee, unless the recipient only drinks tea, in which case get them some speciality teas. Avoid calling it specialitea as that will only make your colleagues cringe. As far as coffee goes, there are plenty of gourmet coffee beans you can grab for under a tenner, which will have your recipient sighing in relief having received a cultured gift as oppose to another tacky desk ornament.

Smartphone gloves
It’s December and it’s cold outside. Taking off your gloves to operate your phone is so last decade, and a decent pair of smartphone gloves can be picked up for under a tenner these days. If your recipient is the kind who is always glued to their phone when they should be working, the chances are they could use a pair of gloves like these when heading home.

USB desk paraphernalia

Desk plants can be an ideal way of livening up your desk, but they tend to feel like a bit of a cop out at times. There are plenty of USB devices you can give instead which will keep your colleagues happy, and you don’t have to worry that they will accidentally kill. USB cup warmers, USB aquariums and USB fridges are all great ways to put a smile on someone’s face first thing on a Monday morning.

Novelty soaps

Depending on the person your choice between scented and unscented may vary. If your recipient is into the more floral things in life, this could be an easy choice. If not, then perhaps a novelty soap shaped like a PS4 controller, a basketball or anything else to match their favourite hobby could be the way forward.